Will Your Twitter Account Be Deemed Worthy Of The Blue Tick?

Something a number of people have asked me about over the past week or so has been how to get verified on Twitter. The question has started coming up following Twitter’s decision to open up the verification process so that anyone can apply.

Who Can Get The Blue Tick?

There have been countless articles telling you “How to get verified on Twitter” and headlines claiming that they can show you how to get that blue tick on your account. The reality is that the decisions still rests in Twitter’s hands and they will make the final decision.

Up to now, verified accounts have been only handed out at the discretion of Twitter to celebrities, sports stars, journalists and companies which are deemed to be worthy of having their identity confirmed. Accounts have been bestowed with what has become a coveted blue tick next to their name. The official seal from Twitter that you are an account worthy of being followed.

Now anyone can apply to get one, but keep in mind that they actual goal posts for verification have not changed. Twitter is still looking for accounts which fit the profile of stars, journalists or company brands. So don’t get down about it if Twitter rejects your application.

Twitter themselves have said that they are looking for accounts of a “public interest” and that they want the application process to “help more people find great, high-quality accounts to follow, and for creators and influencers – no matter where they are in the world – to easily connect with a broader audience.”

How Can I Get One?

You will need to supply a host of personal information to Twitter, only Twitter accounts with enough details will have a shot of being approved so before you get started you need to check the following.

1) Profile Photo
2) URL in bio (must link to your website)
3) Bio with clear information of who you are and what you do
4) Header photo
5) Confirmed email address
6) Must be unlocked with public tweets
7) Phone number linked to account

Make sure you have all the above sorted out BEFORE you send your application form in. One where people tend to fall down is that they have their tweets set to private. Twitter does not verify accounts with private tweets so you need to make sure you change your account to public if you want to be verified.

Once you are ready it is time to fill out the online form which can be found here.

Twitter will also ask you to explain why your account should be verified. For individuals this means explaining your impact and presence in the field you are in and for businesses it means explaining what your company mission is.

Twitter may also request that you scan and send them a copy of your government issued ID such as a Passport or Drivers licence to confirm your identity.

You also need to make sure you are using your real name and that the photos in your profile and header reflect either you as an individual or your company.

Keep in mind that once you have all of this set up, should Twitter verify your account and you change all of these details such as your Twitter handle ect. then you automatically lose your verification status. So if I went and changed my Twitter handle – @TheMarkDalton to @MarkDalton1 – I would lose verification automatically.

What Will Change When I Get Verified?

Honestly? Not a whole lot. You get more granular control over the filters for notifications and you get a blue tick. That is all there is to it. It is a nice thing to get your hands on should Twitter approve your account but it won’t have any effect on your personal profile or business account.

You won’t suddenly start getting more leads or more sales or more clients just because Twitter verifies you. If you start getting more business via Twitter it is because you are using a strategy that works.

Some would argue that it gives you more credibility, I personally don’t think so. I think my content is what gives me credibility. The coveted blue tick has very much become a vanity thing and I fully admit it is nice having it but in my opinion it just looks good, nothing more.

So, if you get verified on Twitter then good job! You should be happy! If you don’t get verified by Twitter then don’t worry about it, it really isn’t all “that.” For those who get rejected you will be notified by email and can re-apply again 30 days after being denied.